A cat's touch
by sinadino
Summary: The story takes place during the movie "Order of the Phoenix". It tells the story of Sybill and Minerva and has flashbacks to how they met...
1. Chapter 1

Title: A cat's touch

Fandom: Harry Potter

Spoiler: During "the Order of the Phoenix" movie

Pairing: Sybill Trelawney/Minerva McGonagall 

Chapter 1

"Sybill, dear."

She remembered the soft spoken words. Stroking her friend's left hand she smiled. The woman lying in the bed looked so vulnerable. Four curses – Sybill shivered. She'd witnessed it from her chamber up in the tower.

The other professors had spoken about it in hushed tunes. Apparently afraid that Umbridge's spies might hear them. Sybill had been stunned and afraid. She'd been devastated when Umbridge dismissed her. She'd almost cried for Minerva to come and help her. But she had not dared to.

Sybill still wondered if Dumbledore had known about their "arrangement". He had not let on a thing. He'd merely asked Minerva to bring her back inside.

The witch raised her right arm and touched grey locks. Minerva looked so peacefully. Sybill smiled softly.

"It's always been like this, Dear, had it not. You'd come to me and just sit there, waiting for me to reach down for you. It took me quite a while to find out it was you." Her voice barely a whisper she remembered when she had seen her new "place" for the first time, sixteen years ago.

_She'd stepped inside. When they'd met Dumbledore he'd assured her a quiet place for her to stay – quiet and peacefully. And as long as Dumbledore had been there it was like that: quiet and peacefully._

_When she'd opened the door she saw a kitten curled up on her bed, sleeping. _

_Maybe I should've mentioned my allergy, she thought but found she didn't seem to react to this creature. She reached out and dared to touch soft fur. The cat purred, then woke up fully. Instantly it jumped up, looked at the human the yellow eyes wide and ran off._

_Sybill remembered her own sadness at the disappearing cat._

_For two weeks the cat had been gone and the witch started to think she'd been dreaming – or maybe it was a vision? _

_The stairs she'd been moving downwards started to move and there she saw the cat again._

_The silver tabby was back. _

_It sat down on the rail but jumped away when Sybill stepped closer._

_She grinned and started to follow her furry friend. Just around the corner she stumbled into a big cape – at least that was what she thought at first. After replacing her glasses she looked at the black sheat to find it was indeed a cape, and nothing less than the cape of another fellow teacher._

_"You must be Professor Trelawney." _

_Sybill couldn't quite interpret the voice nor the almost hidden curl of a smile, but reacted to the hand, stretched out towards her._

_"I am Professor McGonagall. Pleased to meet you."_

_The way her colleague looked at her told her this professor was not as thrilled as she claimed to be._

_Sybill half smiled and mumbled incoherently before she ran off._

_She had no direction where she needed to be. Originally she wanted to go to lunch, but the run in with one of the most famous witches in Hogwarts had left her a bit unsettled._

_She'd heard of her before – Minerva McGonagall – one of the most talented witches Hogwarts ever had, they said – they being Sybill's parents._

_"Why can't you be a bit more like…" had been one of their famous sayings._

_She'd soon found herself outside the castle – on her way to Hogsmeade._

_On a little crossroad she found a nice sunny place and sat down._

_"Meow?" it sounded like a question. The small tabby at her feet looking up at her as if asking for her approval._

_Instantly her hand reached down and scratched the cat's ears._

Sudden movement brought her out of her reverie and Sybill looked at her friend.

"Hurts," was all Minerva croaked before her blue eyes closed once again.

A single tear ran down Sybill's cheek, her fingers never interrupting to softly stroke the patient's hand.

_Something was on her tummy. Sybill frowned, still half – asleep she realized that she'd fallen asleep on her balcony. She didn't remember having brought her blanket with her – yet she was wrapped in it, lying on the small bench, the cat sitting on her tummy. Yellow eyes scrutinized at her. The look stern and chastising. With a little meow the cat hopped down and vanished into the night._

_Sybill smiled. This had been the night before she found out. The night before she knew who exactly had been visiting her for all those years._

_She'd never paid much attention to students who dismissed divination as nonsense, but she couldn't help herself to perk up when she heard this Hermione person to talk about a cat – and an animagus._

_That was the day she started to think of it as "her" cat. It wasn't new to her that cats could sense if "their" human needed them, but she still found herself thinking that "her" cat was different – so different that she couldn't bring herself to give her a name._

_Sybill thought about the moods her furry friend sometimes showed but still she was unsure if it might be an animagus._

_And she feared the truth. What if the cat wasn't the human she secretly hoped it to be? What if the cat was that dreadful potions teacher?_

_Her fears held her back for weeks._

_Everytime the cat would visit Sybill looked for clues about who it might be. If the fur's pattern was any indication the human form had glasses – but then a lot of teachers wore glasses._

_She knew it couldn't be Dumbledore. He'd been in her classroom once while she was preparing the crystal balls. She put every ball in its place and the cat had watched her when a knock on the door announced her visitor._

_"In hindsight – maybe he knows who the cat is," Sybill thought. It seemed that he stared at the cat for a second and with a wink to the animal's direction talked to her about the newest changes that would apply to all Hogwarts' personnel._

_"Please Sybill, come down to the Great Hall at least once or twice. You don't have to stay long, but I worry when you're all alone up here."_

_She mumbled incoherently that she liked her solitude and that she wasn't entirely alone. Dumbledore understood, but he repeated his request. He bent down to where the cat was sitting and patted her head. "Then may I ask you to take good care of your owner?" With that he left._

_Sybill thought she heard some snorting noise from the cat._

A hand clutching her own tightly awoke the professor and she realized she'd fallen asleep.

Madame Pomfrey looked at her, concern visibly in her eyes.

Minerva's grip was vicelike and her face showed the pain she was in.

"Sybill, you should get some rest."

"I was sleeping until now," she whispered.

"You need rest. In a real bed. If you want to stay with her, you can use one of the other hospital beds in here."

Sybill smiled thankfully as Madame Pomfrey raised her wand and drew one of the beds closer to McGonagall's. Just to the patient's right.

Her eyes seemingly huge through the glasses Trelawney looked up from her seat to the other witch.

Madame Pomfrey voice was soft and warm, "She's going to be just fine. Tomorrow they'll take her to St. Mungo's so she can start her recovery there. It will be fine. Just go to bed now and sleep. If you wish, I can contact St. Mungo's and ask them for an extra bed there too."

Sybill nodded, too exhausted to think much about it. The offer was generous and since she was dismissed anyway she might as well see to Minerva's needs.

A smile crept up Poppy's face when the bed prepared itself for Sybill with another flick of the matron's wrist.

"Now, get some rest so you can accompany her tomorrow."

Without complaint Sybill let herself be led to the bed and laid down.

When she had to let go of Minerva's hand the older witch murmered in her sleep.

Madame Pomfrey nodded shortly and Sybill reached for Minerva's other hand.

The grey haired witch immediately settled back to sleep.

Not being able to hide her wide grin, Poppy turned and left, knowing there was nothing more she could do for these two.

_She'd finally managed to put it all together. She still was afraid to let it on. She knew now that it was Professor McGonagall, Minerva, who visited her from time to time. She'd read through the animagus lists and finally found the name she'd searched for._

_It felt as if she'd been punched. She was glad on one hand that it'd been Minerva, but she had no idea what to do now. Should she show her knowledge? Should she tell the cat that she knew who she was? But what if the cat – Minerva fled? Or worse – if she didn't come back?_

_Sybill decided to leave it. Sometimes she managed to forget that it was Minerva who sat on the window sill and looked out. Sometimes she didn't think about it when her hand automatically wandered to pet the cat's fur. Sometimes she hoped she'd have the guts to call the cat by name._

_Weeks went by and nothing between them had changed. Though Sybill grew bolder. She had always talked to the cat – about everything. But now she started talking about her fellow teachers. Especially one witch, who she mentioned quite often._

_Sybill wondered if she'd ever get a rise out of Minerva, but the cat would just sit there and listen to her rants about the uptight professor who seemed to have swallowed a broom and had no idea about Divination, nor respect for her teachings._

_The next day when Sybill was again invited to take part to some gathering in the Great Hall, two students were gossiping about things that could or could not be seen in crystal balls and how little sense the subject itself made when suddenly Minerva stormed around the corner and chastised them._

_The students walked away, the older witch looked at her collegue muttering, " The fact that I never saw much use in Divination doesn't mean I'd accept any disrespect towards the subject or its teachers from students."_

_And with that, she strolled off, leaving an open mouthed Professor Trelawney in her wake._

_That evening Sybill put some gillywater into a small cup and set it onto Minerva's favorite window sill, knowing about her colleague's weakness for this beverage._

_She wasn't disappointed. Loud purring woke her and she saw the cat sitting there and enjoying her midnight drink. From that day on Sybill made it a point to always have some gillywater in her chambers._

"Merlin's pants…" were the words to which Sybill awoke.

Hearing Minerva swear was music in her ears.

"Minerva?" The brunette half rose and saw her friend blushing furiously. A sudden movement later the hand she'd been holding had disappeared underneath the hospital sheet.

"Minerva?" she asked again.

"I am… I can't…" the older witch stammered.

"What is it? Can I help? What…? Did I do something wrong?" Sure she'd done something during her sleep she sat up fully, snatched her glasses from the nightstand and turned to leave.

"Don't leave. It's not you." Sybill heard the usually strong voice cracking and whirled around immediately.

"I just don't have much control over my magic anymore. And I do not like it."

"Would you show me?" Sybill dared to ask before she could think better of it.

"No."

The witch slumped onto her bed and looked sadly at her friend. McGonagall was just about to start an explanation when Madame Pomfrey entered the infirmary.

"Now we'll prepare everything to move you, Minerva." She smiled at Sybill, "I am sorry, but you have to leave for now. I arranged everything for you to follow as soon as possible."

Sybill just stood next to the bed not really comprehending what was going on.

"Sybill, be a dear and go to my chamber and pick up a few of my robes, would you? I'd rather have my own clothing instead of the gowns they have in St. Mungo's."

The soft spoken request made the younger witch jump into action and with an "of course, Minerva I'll get it" she ran off."

"What?" McGonagall demanded. "What makes you grin like that, Poppy?"

"You two are good for each other you know?"

Just when her patient opened her mouth to object Madame Pomfrey used the opportunity to shove a spoon into it. Minerva swallowed the syrupy liquid grumpily.

"Now rest and when you wake up, you'll already be in St. Mungo's."

But Minerva was already asleep again.

When Poppy prepared the bed the sheet dropped and she saw the half formed paw instead of a right hand. Sighing, she set to work, knowing the sooner her patient would get to St. Mungo the sooner she'd be healed.

Half a day later, Sybill finally arrived at St. Mungo's. She felt a bit disoriented but that was to be expected when riding on the Knight Bus. Loaded down with two huge bags, she entered the building.

_She was happy that Poppy had come to her, telling her to go. Even though Sybill wanted to be with Minerva she was insecure about following her to St. Mungo's. If it hadn't been for the matron's urging, she wouldn't have packed her own bag. She'd have packed things for Minerva and that might have been it._

_"I saw it in her eyes. She wants you there. She needs you." It had been those words that made Sybill run upstairs and gather her bag from where it sat on the bed. She opened her wardrobe and grabbed a few robes, tossed them in the bag and with a flick of her wand the bag closed._

_On the way out her gaze fell on a small wrinkled and burned piece of parchment. _

_Poppy's eyes bugged out when she saw a smirk on the usually shy and insecure woman. Sybill showed it to her. It were the remnants of one of Umbridges decrees:_

**Teachers are hereby banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they are paid to teach.**

**The above is in accordance with Education Decree Number Twenty-six.**

**Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor **

_Snickering, Sybill explained, "Minerva was asked by one of the first years where to find Professor Umbridge's room. Minerva told them she wasn't allowed to tell them. It was so wonderful. Later Umbridge tried to get her to apologize, but Minerva only pointed out how she'd tried to follow the rules. It was hilarious."_

_Madame Pomfrey allowed herself to grin while she led Sybill to the waiting carriage, that would bring her to Hogsmeade, from where she would take the Knight Bus. Professor McGonagall had already been taken to St. Mungo's where she'd be treated for the foreseeable future as the matron told Sybill._

A friendly witch greeted her at the entry and showed Trelawney the way to Minerva's rooms. In fact the older witch had two rooms. One for herself and one for her collegue during their stay.

Sybill had been worried to go to St. Mungo's after Umbridge had threatened to send her that way the minute Dumbledore was out of her way, which had been a good reason for her to follow Minerva. She always felt safe with her. Professor McGonagall had always been a guardian to her students, in fact to anyone who needed help.

When they came to the room they found the patient sleeping. The assistant healer had explained to her that Minerva would need rest and hoped Sybill would help to make sure of it. Trelawney stepped closer to the aide, trying to decipher her tag.

"I am Moira," the other woman supplied, smiling friendly and helping Sybill with the bags.

"Give me a ring when you need anything." With that, Moira pointed at the small bell next to the nightstand and left, silently closing the door.

Minerva woke to a soundly sleeping Sybill. The younger woman was curled up in the chair next to the hospital bed. Huge glasses lying on the nightstand.

Minerva smiled, knowing that those weren't even necessary.

_In the beginning she'd felt bad for snooping on her colleague, but then Sybill had started to talk to her, telling her how she'd missed having a friend like her, a cat that visited her no matter what and who'd listen without judgement._

_She couldn't bring herself to leave then. Minerva tried to think of a resolution. Maybe if she'd search for a cat that looked like her animagus form and give it to Sybill, maybe then she could leave in good conscience, but fate (if there was anything like that – Sybill would've tried to talk her into something like that) decided otherwise. She asked around, she even put out requests in muggle pet shops, but apparently there was no silver tabby available. Minerva didn't want to put any animal under the stress of being changed by magic, so she gave up on that idea and instead continued visiting._

_It was awhile before she gave up her own denial and admitted that she herself enjoyed these visits very much._

_A blush crept up her face when Minerva remembered their very first run in._

_She'd always enjoyed the peaceful quietness of the tower. Apparently she'd fallen asleep that day and woke, startled by someone touching her. She was terrified. It took a moment for Minerva to realize that she was still in her animagus form. Running downstairs, she fled._

_Once again she was thankful to have chosen a cat as an animagus form. This body felt so much younger and more agile. It was her guilty pleasure, always had been. Every once in a while she'd slip into a cat's skin – as she called it – and take a stroll through the castle._

_Usually she'd only done this during the holidays when no students were around._

_Until Trelawney._

_Sybill made her change her habits._

_Even before McGonagall had realized it, she'd grown fond of the other witch, this very shy woman who hid herself behind glasses._

_Soon after she had met the other teacher in person, Minerva made it a point to visit the tower every evening. Not every time would she enter the rooms, but still she passed by, stopping and listening if everything was all right before she'd end her nightly round._

_Maybe there was something more behind her choice of animal form – again the dreaded idea of fate came to her mind._

_Minerva had always liked to be well informed about what happened around her. Knowledge ranked high on her list of preferable traits, but she'd never considered herself overly curious._

_"Curiosity got the cat," she sometimes thought to herself._

_For two weeks she'd managed to restrain her curiosity. She wouldn't snoop, nor visit the tower, but then they met by accident. Minerva almost expected Sybill to find out about her. Almost._

_The night after their second encounter her paws lead her to the crack in the wall through which she could sneak into the divination class room._

_She looked around and stepped carefully towards her colleague's private rooms._

_A cat's ability to sneak around without making any noise had been one of the perks of this animagus form that made her choose it when she'd started studying that very subject so many years ago._

_Minerva was sure her movements were as flawless as ever, but Sybill who sat with her back towards the entrance stiffened when the silver tabby stepped into the room._

_The younger witch turned and smiled at the animal, "There you are. Finally you came to visit me again."_

_Trelawney placed her teacup on the table and sat back, waiting for the cat to approach on her own terms._

_Minerva decided then to react as any cat might do and circled the human's feet. Then she hopped onto the chair across from the table and they both faced each other looking at each other, unsure of what to do next._

Her mind came back to the present when she heard a soft snoring noise from the chair.

McGonagall knew they'd have to talk about all this. Maybe she should' ve approached the topic long before now. Her students looked up at her, thinking how brave she was. Admiring her for her knowledge, and those few who knew, respecting her for being in the Order of the Phoenix and yet she felt like the biggest chicken in the world.

_Minerva allowed herself to feel a little proud for standing by Trelawney's side when Umbridge tried to force her out, but she should' ve shown her affection long before. If she was honest with herself she'd have to admit that she'd been – afraid? – about the reactions. _

_How could one who almost despised divination be best friends – or possibly more? – with the teacher of that very subject?_

_She didn't understand it herself._

_Albus did._

_He'd talked to her, after he'd seen her when visiting Sybill._

_"Does she know about you? Does she know who you are?" He'd asked. She could tell he was furious with her. Yet his eyes told her he understood when she tried to explain but didn't find the words for it._

_Owner – he'd called Sybill her owner. Maybe he was right. Somehow the clumsy witch had snuck into her heart. Dumbledore had seen it._

_The wizard had sighed and looked at her. "Love is a complicated thing if you make it one, but it can be quite easy if you just let it happen, Professor." And with that, he'd left her to stew._

_Albus never mentioned it again. He just smirked at her when he saw Professor Trelawney come into the Great Hall more often._

"Professor, how are you?" Minerva was once again pulled out of her thoughts. The healer had come in to give her her medicine.

"I am getting better, I think."

"Very well, in that case you can help me by sitting up a bit."

The healer assisted her patient with the task and with a flick of her wand the sheets slid away, floated towards the cart, hovered for a split of a second and then crumpled themselves into a pile on all the other laundry. Fresh sheets swept up from somewhere inside the cart and unfolded on their own. Minerva took her time to watch it all. She'd never been in a hospital before she now realized. She had always been able to take care of herself.

Minerva hated feeling this weak. She needed the assistance from another person to sit up straight in her bed. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Her lids drooped.

She knew she was getting old, but until now she'd never felt old.

Slow circles were being rubbed on her back. She heard a hushing sound.

When Minerva opened her eyes she realized the healer was already gone. Sybill sat next to her on the bed and held her, embracing her, soothing her.

"Shh, it's gonna be alright. You'll get your strength back the healer said," her voice was low and soft and Minerva could do nothing but believe it.

Her face was wet with tears. She hadn't known she had been crying.

Sybill lowered her back down.

"You should get some rest." Sybill tucked the sheet around her and Minerva looked at the blue eyes of her friend, for once not unnaturally enlarged.

"You're as weak as a kitten." The witch could' ve sworn her younger friend was smirking at her, but she felt too tired to react. She just closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

She could sleep now, she was safe.

_She saw the cup falling, but couldn't do anything but stare at it._

_Apparently Sybill had seen something in the tea leaves or something else, making her drop the cup. She would've pursed her lips in disgust if she'd been in her human form._

_Sybill was crouching on the floor, gathering the shards to a small plie._

_Minerva watched closely when her colleague took out her wand and pointed at the fragments between them._

_Professor Trelawney looked up, directly into the cat's eyes. She sighed. "I always forget this spell."_

_Sybill looked around, obviously searching for something. Minerva's eyes followed her every movement. Finally the witch seemed to have found what she'd been looking for: a piece of crumpled paper. An imprinted pattern of roses framed the written words on it._

_Sybill didn't even speak out loud, just an almost unnoticed movement of her hand and the paper morphed into a tea cup – with a pattern of roses._

_The cat's jaw almost fell off._

_Minerva would've never guessed that her collegue might even have the slightest talent at transfiguration. But this was – even nonverbal. She was truly impressed._

_She felt a hand petting her head._

_"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, but to transfigurate things is so much easier than to repair them."_

It almost sounded like purring – Sybill grinned slightly while she didn't stop stroking through her friends grey strands.

Blue eyes found her. The corner's of her lips curled into a sleepy smile and Minerva snuggled deeper into her friend's hand.

Her lids closed again and the brunette expected her to have fallen asleep again when McGonagall's voice addressed her.

"How come that you're that good at transfiguration? I always wondered about that. I looked up your files. The talent you possess doesn't show in there. In fact it never seemed to be your forte. But you don't even need to speak to transfigure something."

"The teacher I had was," Sybill searched for the right word, "creepy. I was too afraid of him to get anything right. It wasn't until after school that I discovered that I wasn't all that bad."

The tune was hushed, the hand had stilled and retreated, Minerva knew better than to pry even though there were several more questions that almost burned her tongue willing to jump right out of her mouth, but the witch decided to be patient.

"Ask!"

"Huh?" Minerva opened her eyes and looked at her caretaker in confusion.

"Ask me why of all subjects I chose to teach divination."

"I didn't mean to imply…" Minerva stammered.

"I know, but you thought it. I could see it in your face." Sybill looked down at her hands, folded in her lap.

"There is more to you than you show. Why don't you let people see our potential? You could be in the Order with your abilities."

"I always liked my privacy, my little corner in the world where only I would be. Where I could live in peace without annoying anyone or being disturbed by others. Besides Dumbledore is right. I know nothing about the world outside. I've been hiding for so long. I haven't seen much of what is going out in the world. I'd be lost. It makes me feel safe to be in Hogwarts, to be who I am. No one would gain much from harming me. I'm not important to them."

Minerva didn't correct her, instead she asked one of the burning questions.

"Is that the reason for your glasses?" Her eyes gazed at the item in question over at the nightstand.

"Don't, please don't," Minerva said when she saw her colleague reaching for them.

"I like looking at your eyes."

This earned her a beet red blush and Minerva dared to reach out with her hand and cup her friend's face. It felt as warm as it looked. Trying to soothe her, she let her thumb softly move over the cheek.

"I might' ve always wondered why you'd teach divination, but it really bugged me that you felt the need to use those," she pointed at the glasses "to feel safe when you didn't need them to be able to see clearly."

"I've always been different, people could see that. The glasses just fit that, they completed the picture."

Minerva sensed that her friend was becoming defensive. Her hand continued the calming gesture. "But this picture is nothing but a picture. It is not the real you."

Minerva swallowed and decided to be brave.

"I'd love to get to know the real you." If McGonagall didn't know better she could' ve sworn Sybill had just snorted at that.

"You already know way more about me than anyone else."

"I do?"

"Oh please, don't pretend not to know what I'm talking about."

Minerva frowned and raised her eyebrows in question: Sybill was now definitely smirking.

"I know your animagus form is a cat. I know it was you who visited me all this time."

The older professor froze. She had assumed that Sybill might know, but denial could be so comfortable after all. She had expected her to find out eventually, after all Sybill wasn't dumb, just clumsy.

But hearing this was something else. Her hand retreated and she didn't look up.

"How comes there is earth underneath my fingernails? It's not as if I'm gardening," she thought to herself, studying her suddenly interesting digits.

"Minerva?"

McGonagall gulped when Sybill's hand reached for hers.

"Sybill… I… sorry… but… couldn't… wouldn't … stop…"

Tears fell. One after another until it felt as if flood gates had opened.

Only few words were understandable between hiccups, but Sybill managed to put her friend's fears at rest.

"Remember, I told you I enjoyed your company. I really did. And I'd miss you if you decided to not visit me anymore. I'd accept it, but I'd miss you. Very much."

Minerva's gaze fell on their hands. Their fingers intertwined – when did that happen? – She felt the soft pressure when Sybill squeezed her hand lightly.

"This is weird," the older witch said.

Sybill looked at her, visibly confused.

"I feel so weak, so…"

"Insecure?" Trelawney helped out.

"Yes. Indeed. I do not like this. This is not how it should be."

"Healer Moira told me it was to be expected. After having received four stun spells. It is surprising you're conscious at all."

"Four?"

"Yes. You do…?" Sybill hesitated,"Do you remember what happened?"

"I think so. I was there to help Hagrid. I recall being stunned, but I didn't know how many. Everything was blurry after the second one. How is Hagrid?"

"He managed to escape. Other than that, I have no news about him."

"Thank goodness. He's not in the hands of that... person."

Miranda yawned. "I am sorry, I'm just so tired."

"I should probably let you get some rest. I'll tell you what: I'll go for a walk and when I get back we'll have some tea," the brunette suggested.

"Th't sounds marvelous" her voice slurring Minerva sank back into the cushions.

Sybill slipped her hands out of her friend's grip and snuck outside. The door slid close soundlessly.

Moira greeted her when she passed the healer's station and Sybill informed her of their plans.

"Very well, I'll have the tea brought to you when you get back, and I am sure we'll find some eclairs." The nurse winked at her and Trelawney headed for the doors.

She didn't pay much attention to the surroundings, her thoughts were elsewhere as she wandered through the park.

"Minerva was right," she thought when she sat down on a bench next to the path she'd been following for some time now.

It was weird. Minerva was always the strong Professor McGonagall. Calm, cool, collected. Invincible.

And she, Sybill, was the lost and weak divination teacher. Their roles seemed to be reversed now.

If only she'd thought to bring her crystal ball to the hospital. Then she could try and see what might happen – but the the gift never came on command and Sybill knew that all too well.

And – although she was curious about what might come out of all this – she was more than willing to let things develop on their own terms. Sometimes it was better not to know the outcome.

As useful as divination could be, the here and now was important too. Sybill had tried to forget this, but anything she once learned seemed to be imprinted in her head to never disappear.

She smiled wistfully. It was nice to take care of a loved one (she might be no healer, but she could take take of someone nonetheless)

Loved one… yes, come to think of it, Sybill had realized some time ago that she cared. She cared very much for her feline visitor. Again she'd fallen in love, again it was a witch she looked up to – and again –

NO! Minerva wouldn't break her heart like this. She's too good of a person to be like that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The old witch leaned back into the big pillow which was propped up against the head of the bed.

Moira had – as every day now - brought a tray with tea and cake.

Minerva could smell the brew and the baked goods, but decided to wait – as every day now – for Sybill to come back from her walk.

They'd developed this routine.

The morning was spent with breakfast, doctor visits magicmedical treatment, Sybill and Moira dragging her out for a walk and herself complaining about it.

They both clung to her as if she'd break the second they'd let her breathe alone.

Though Minerva suspected them to have cast a spell for their first outings so she wouldn't hurt so much.

The more they went out, the more her muscles strengthened, the less the two of them were glued to her and the more she actually felt the pain that cursed through her with every movement.

Pshaw, stunning spells, they must've done something else or she wouldn't feel this bad – or maybe she'd just grown old, Minerva pondered.

Then lunch would follow and – per doctor's orders a nap for the patient and a walk for her companion.

Minerva shuffled once again in her bed. She'd grown sick of being this weak. She wasn't allowed to use any magic for now.

The healers had been worried for it took long and used up all her energy to shift her paw back into a human hand. She'd felt the tiny drops of sweat on her forehead appear. It'd been hard to concentrate and even the potion that was supposed to give her the much needed strength didn't help that much – or rather, Minerva didn't want to think about what might' ve been if she didn't get said potion.

She felt much better now and was able to walk short distances on her own – with a walking stick, but with no other assistance.

The closeness to Sybill irritated her. She felt nervous and her hands were sweaty.

'Minerva, get a grip, you're an old witch, there's no reason to act like a 15-year old school girl.'

She admonished herself but it didn't help.

She felt close to the Divination teacher even though the very topic of Divinition still bothered her. Not as much as it used to, but still she had trouble not to let on how useless she'd found it.

It helped that Sybill herself, who took her subject seriously, was also able to laugh about it and found ways to amuse Minerva with it.

Their first tea together in hospital Minerva was close to throwing her out when Sybill started looking into her cup.

"Please, please please, Merlin, don't get her started!"Minerva thought desperately and prayed silently to whomever would hear when she saw her friend studying the almost empty tea cup.

But to her great relief Sybill didn't say a word. The teacher merely smiled, reached for the tea kettle and refilled their cups.

It had continued like that. Professor Trelawney always stared into her cup, but never said anything about what she attempted to see and Minerva as sure as Merlin had a beard wouldn't ask her to.

After a few days the small talk stopped. They clearly had talked enough about the weather conditions to make up for any small talk they might have missed during the last 15 years.

"_Are we starting a zoo?" Sybill asked her, her eyes looking huge and sad behind her glasses. Minerva frowned._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_With all those pink elephants in the room."_

_Minerva had dreaded this conversation even though she knew that sooner or later this would come up. She'd hoped it'd be later – more like never._

"_What I mean is – where do we go from here? I am sorry, Minerva, but I need to know. I cherish our friendship. I don't want to loose this."_

_Sybill squeezed her friends hand._

_Minerva looked at their hands. For some reason their fingers seemed to intertwine whenever they came close._

"_Neither do I" she whispered._

"_I can't change who I am, Minerva." He voice small and childlike Sybill continued, "I am the teacher for Divination. It is what I believe in, always have and always will. To me it is truth. I can't, won't hide that from you. It is part of who I am. Can you…, " she paused, "Will you accept that?"_

_Afraid of the answer – even though she'd seen the outcome, but she knew that interpretations could be wrong. She knew that one shouldn't predict their own future. There were too many mistakes possible, one being to see only what one wanted to see._

_Sybill was afraid she'd done just that. That she'd only seed what she hoped for, what she wished to be true, but she had to know._

"_Do you… do you really think that would make me leave you?" The words stumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them._

"_I could never really leave you." Minerva gaze was still directed at their hands. Her thumb drawing slow circles._

_A single tear escaped Sybill's eye. Her lips curled into a smile._

"_So that'd be one elephant less." She tried to lighten the mood and was rewarded with a chuckle._

_The chuckling didn't stop and Sybill got a weird feeling about it. It didn't to her long to see that Minerva had started to cry silently, her body rocking with silent sobs instead of the beloved chuckle._

_The younger witch drew her friend closer and embraced her._

"_Shhh.. what is it, hon? What got you upset?"_

"_I just – I mean – I don't know."_

"_Minerva?"_

"_I don't know what to say." She sniffled._

_Sybill softly cupped her chin and made her lock eyes._

"_Min, this won't work if you hide from me. Hiding is my speciality, remember?" _

_Minerva smiled at that._

"_I am so embarrassed."_

"_By what? Sweety?" Sybill sense that Minerva was about to retreat, but she refused to let go._

"_Min?"_

_A sniffle was the only answer._

"_Accio handkerchief" Sybill held out the fabric and wiped away stray tears from her friend's face._

"_You shouldn't – this can't work." The usually so accurate teacher was a loss for words._

"_I've foreseen this to work out, Min, so don't you doubt it!" The stern voice made Minerva look up in surprise. The upcoming smile reached her eyes._

"_Well then we won't have to worry about anything, huh?"_

_She took the handkerchief and blew her nose._

"_Thank you."_

"_You're welcome. After all it was your own handkerchief."_

"_I didn't mean that. I mean all of it. I can't think of anyone else who would've come here to help, who would've suffered through all my complains and with whom I'd rather spend my time with."_

"_Min…"_

"_Don't. Don't interrupt me now, or I might never have the courage to say this." _

_She took a deep breath. "I care about you. More than I like to admit. I've grown used to living alone and to keeping to myself. I found excuses to visit you and when I realised that I was…" Minerva swallowed the lump in her throat and continued, finally daring to look into her companions eyes. "I've been falling for you. And I had a hard time accepting that – still have._

_I tried to stop visiting, but I couldn't. You said you liked the company. I even tried to find a cat that looked like me, but I couldn't find one that would fit."_

_Sybill smiled understandingly. "Not that I'm complaining, but – you're the Transfiguration Professor. You could've just transfigured a cat's pattern."_

"_I didn't want to stress out an animal like that. I thought it'd be too much for a cat to take a spell like that."_

"_Minerva," Trelawney suppressed a giggle and tried to sound stern, " that's troll bogey and you know it. If it was stress for animals you would never let students transfigurate them into mugs or whatever else."_

_Minerva's free hand worried the sheet while she mumbles something incoherently._

"_Huh? What did you say?"_

_Again Minerva muttered something unintelligibly so Sybill had to ask once more._

_The older witch sighed heavily, " maybe I just… didn't want to stop seeing you so I thought of excuses why I couldn't find a way out."_

_Sybill laughed out loud and hugged her tight. "Minerva, you certainly are something else." _

She smiled at this memory. They'd laughed a lot that afternoon. Talked seriously about what to do, which grew serious, but also laughed – a lot.

They'd decided to take it slowly, but they both started to considered themselves a couple.

"I have a girlfriend" Minerva would sometimes whisper when she was alone and a grin would spread on her face.

The door opened and Sybill entered, her brownish hair seriously ruffled by the wind. She cast a quick spell and it sorted itself, extracting a few leaves that had somehow found their way into the depth of her hairdo.

"Oh, tea!" Sybill exclaimed and Minerva allowed herself to chuckle audibly.

"What?" The brunette turned around to face her girlfriend – the thought of that made her blush.

"Well, as an adept seer you should' ve foreseen the tea, shouldn't you?"

"As I very well told you my Dear, you can't pinpoint visions of what is about to happen. You can merely try and open your mind and hope for the powers that be to let you in on a small part of Their knowledge."

Minerva rolled her eyes and reached for the kettle and filled their cups.

"Now disentangle yourself out of your scarves or whatever they are and sit here with me." The older witch grinned broadly when Sybill looked at her. Her head was slightly tilted as if thinking about something.

"You must feel better when you get all cheeky on me, Missy."

If anything the grin widened and Minerva nodded.

"I have a question, Min."

"Yes?"

"When I was out for a walk I saw a cat. And I just couldn't stop thinking about you." The brunette had trouble to restrain her face into a serious mask. "Say, when you're in your animagus form, do you hunt mice?"

Minerva who'd just settled back into her cushion sipping her tea spat out the hot liquid.

Sybill couldn't contain her laughter anymore.

"Are you done now?" her student might' ve thought now of Professor McGonagall as a very angry person, but Sybill saw the older witch's lips twitch and guessed how difficult it was for Minerva to keep her face stern.

"There are actually many more questions I want to ask you." She said after she calmed down.

"Cats are fascinating animals."

"We'll see how fascinating you find them when your cat starts hunting birds and mice for you and brings them to your doorstep as a present."

"Well, that might be useful. If there were enough of them I could teach my class how to read and interpret an animal's entrails."

Minerva spilled more of the hot brew and felt a tad bit sorry for all the brown spots on the sheet, but it just felt too good to laugh out loud.

"Your cat." Trelawney silently repeated, "my cat." The very thought made her smile.

When the healer and her assistant entered to talk to their patient about their leave the next day they found their patient laughing tears at whatever her friend might' ve said.

Moira smiled. She knew that the presence of Professor McGonagall's friend had helped a big deal with the patient's recovery.

With a short look at her assistant she left him to change the sheets while she'd talk them through the paperwork.

"And you will listen to her!" the no nonsense voice was directed at Minerva who grumpily nodded. "When you feel weak, you'll get rest and let her take care of you. Just like you did here – most of the time at last. No more wandering around during the night, is that clear, Professor McGonagall?"

"Yes Moira. Now could we please…"

"No. First you listen, then you'll sign that you understood what was said and then you may eat dinner, go to bed and tomorrow morning you may let Sybill pack your bag and then the two of you can leave as soon as the carriage has arrived here."

"So you will listen to your partner on your health's behalf?"

"Yes, Moira." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sybill.

"Wipe that grin off of your face, Trelawney!" Minerva growled under her breath, causing Sybill's grin to widen even more.

"Now now, none of that. You two behave until I get out of this room."

The two witches had the sense to look down at their feet ashamedly and Moira shook her head.

Chuckling she said: "You two are certainly something else. Anyway, I shall leave now and my assistant will bring you dinner in about half an hour."

With that the healer left the room, quickly followed by her assistant who carried the tea soaked sheets with him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The ride back went without trouble. Minerva slept through and only stirred slightly while Sybill kept gazing out of the window. She'd let her eyes wander through the carriage every once in a while and stop at their intertwined fingers. Sybill smiled on the whole way to Hogwarts.

They made a short stop at Hogsmeade. The two witches had agreed to keep their building relationship to themselves for now. Sybill would return to be the slightly crazy Divination teacher and walk the way back to Hogwarts. Poppy was no tattletale so they knew their secret safe with her.  
>Professor Trelawney stepped out of the carriage, her fingers lingering for just a few more seconds before she let Minerva's hand go.<p>

The door closed itself and soon Sybill was on her way home. A few times she had to readjust her scarves – the wind kept messing them up.

It was easy to sneak back into her little apartment. Everyone was distracted by the news of Potter's newest strike against You-know-who, and even that pesky little Granger girl was consumed by Professor McGonagall's return. Everything was as it should be – well almost everything.  
>Sybill would have a hard time accepting the topic of splitting the lessons with the centaur. Dumbledore told her she'd have to accept this – and it might be a good thing that she'd have half the time off – he all but winked at her – since she'd found a new hobby – he even used the word hobby.<p>

Slowly Sybill climbed the last steps to her rooms shaking her head at Dumbledore's perceptiveness. This wizard was something else.  
>Even though she still couldn't befriend the idea to work with Firenze (what kind of a name was this anyway?) she did like the idea of having more time to take care of her girlfriend.<br>The two of them shared many cozy evenings – including long talks about where to go from here and the topic of Dolores Umbrigde arose a few times. She was still confined to her new quarters within the infirmary.

Minerva had to admit that she shared Sybill's uneasiness about the fact that they still – technically – shared a roof with this person.  
>She was glad that Poppy had agreed to make a few house visits instead of Minerva coming over to the infirmary.<p>

It wasn't easy for them to find some time to themselves. Minerva was busy with the order and Sybill tried to find her place in the new way of divination. Firenze seemed to know many things, but Sybill learned very quick that they were too different in their beliefs to really work together. They decided on a live and let live strategy. It wasn't what she'd hoped for, but it was something and it made it easier to cope with all that had happened.  
>Slowly but steady the daily routine took them back into its course and the times they managed to meet were rare.<p>

A few days before school was about to end Sybill was quite frustrated. How was this supposed to work if they never got a chance to meet and talk?  
>On the other hand, that way they never might get into a fight she thought sourly.<p>

"Professor Trelawney?"  
>"Yes my Dear?"<br>Sybill tried to remember the students name. But failed completely. The young girl fidgeted under the teacher's gaze.  
>"Professor McGonagall told me to remind you that your cat needed some attention."<br>With that the student fled, happy not to be close to the strange Divination teacher anymore.

Sporting a smile Sybill all but flew down the stairs. It was too late for her to see her colleague when she hastily stalked around a corner.

"Se..Severus?"

"Again an a nightly stroll, professor? I hope you enjoy your time." His voice was dismissive and bitter. Sybill gathered the scarf that had dropped to earth and rushed off, leaving Snape alone in the corridor.

It felt so good. Minerva stretched a little. She'd always been one for early risings, but now that she stayed up long and talked with Sybill about all kinds of things she came to enjoy staying in bed a little longer.

Nothing had happened yet. Well, not nothing, Minerva thought. They touched. They held hands, they talked. And last night... she still felt her lips tingling. She hoped they could share many more good night kisses. And if she was honest with herself she even dared to hope for morning kisses too.  
>Minerva stretched once more before she finally got up and prepared herself for the day.<p>

Every day she grew stronger, but she was still mad at herself, at her body that she needed a walking stick. Every morning she'd been out in the woods. That was before she was attacked.  
>"I'm getting old" she realized. "it used to feel so good, I used to feel so young when I was in my cat form. And now I'm not allowed to change before Poppy tells me that it's safe. It might be wise, but I still don't like it.<p>

She knew that her cat form would've made it easily upstairs to visit her girlfriend.  
>Girlfriend. A part of her resented the word. It sounded so teenagerlike. So much like a word the kids she taught would use. But in itself the word was pure and true.<br>I need to stop thinking about this and just enjoy it.  
>Even Sybill had told her so.<p>

********__

__"Madam Pomfrey, please!"__

__"Sybill, I just can't! And why is this such a problem. One should think she wouldn't need this anymore."__

__"Minerva is going stir crazy." Trelawney slumped onto the chair in the nurse's room. Poppy didn't even try to hide her grin and massaged the other witch's shoulders.__

__"Sybill, she'll pull through this. But I could give you something for your nerves. From what I imagine this could be..." ,the nurse trailed off.__

__"Difficult."__

__"Indeed."__

__"She's just so... I don't know what to do. She runs in circles in her room. I'm really happy we don't have any Quidditch matches right now, or she'd try and climb all the stairs herself. As if it isn't bad enough that her room isn't on a lower level."__

__"Doesn't she use her stick?"__

__"She does. She does. She's just so.."__

__"Impatient." Poppy smiled sympathetically. "Sybill, she is used to be in charge, to be strong. And now she can't do any of this. I don't think she's ever been as long out of commission as now. She will have to accept this. I can't allow her to change into her animagus form right now.  
>She's still too weak."<br>Madam Pomfrey reached for another chair and sat down before her friend. She took the witches hands.  
>"Oh, Dear. Min must be in a terrible mood today, huh?" The tears on Sybill's cheeks had dried, but obviously still visible.<em>_

__"I just wish I could help her. But I can't find a way."__

__Poppy raised an eyebrow and Sybill elaborated.__

__"I tried to look for the answer in my crystal ball."__

__"Let me guess, our dearest Professor McGonagall was less than amused about this."__

__"I never believed she could throw it that far." Sybill murmured almost inaudible, her gaze lowered.  
>With a quick Reparo-spell the window had been fixed, but the ball was somewhere outside. From what she'd seen the glass might' ve landed in the forbidden forest.<em>_

__"And you didn't foresee that she'd react like this? Even I could' ve told you so." Sybill could hear the smirk in the voice. Slowly she looked up to see the wide grin.__

__"True, but one can hope, can't I !"__

__Something in the infirmary clattered and Poppy smiled an apologetic smile. "If you would excuse me, Sybill, but I have to take care of our highness."__

__The Divination teacher shivered, thinking about the woman in the other room.__

__"You know, one could learn a few things from the muggles" Poppy said, apparently in deep thought, "I've always wondered how much use an enema would bring to a witch."  
><em>_

Minerva thought long about her ravings. How Sybill managed to pull her down again when her mind was running in circles. She still felt bad for tossing that ball through the window.  
>She'd thought she'd lost the friendship then. Sybill had stormed out and Minerva wasn't fast enough to follow her.<p>

Later that night there was a soft knock on the door. Minerva was relieved to find Sybill at her door. The witch smiled and held a small bag in her hands.  
>"A peace offering."<p>

******

They both longed for the summer break. The school would be empty. No students inside and they could finally let go. Holding hands while walking through the woods, while sitting in the three broomsticks or whenever they went anywhere.  
>Minerva smiled at that thought. In fact she grinned widely when she sat down on her seat in the great hall.<br>A small frown crept up her forehead when she heard a sweet singing voice next to her ear.  
>"My dear professor McGonagall, would you mind terribly when I'd borrow your walking stick for a while?"<br>"Peeves?"  
>"Thank you very much, Mylady, I knew you wouldn't mind!"<p>

Before she could object the ghost took off, her stick in one of his hands, some sort of sock in the other.  
>"What does he have in mind with all this?" Minerva silently wondered when they all heard a high pitched voice yelling and whining.<br>"Umbridge?"

Through the open door they could all see Peeves hunting the former headmistress out of the castle – apparently she had tried to sneak out, but was found by Peeves.

The students jumped up and ran after them.  
>The professors stood. Murmurs were heard that one should bring the kids back to reason and call them back but the voices died. Minerva sat back. After all she couldn't follow them for her walking stick was lost.<br>Flitwick first walked slowly towards the door, then his steps became faster, stalking until his legs carried him outside hastily.  
>One by one the teachers followed, until only McGonagall and Trelawney were left.<br>Sybill brought out a crystal ball out of her many scarves.  
>Minerva shook her head, smiling. Whatever the magic with those scarves were, she found it awesome what her girlfriend was able to conceal in them.<br>The ball was placed in front of her and Minerva started to try and tell Sybill that she wasn't interested when Sybill tipped the ball with her wand and Minerva could clearly see Peeves.  
>The ghost chased Umbridge, poking her with the stick and slapping her with the sock.<br>"What...?"  
>"The future might be nebular in crystals for blind eyes, but the present usually is quite clear, dear Professor McGonagall. " Sybill said, playfully mocking her with the title, barely hiding a smirk.<br>"Usually I don't use them for profane things like this, but since you're still in no condition to go out and see for yourself..."

When Peeves came back to the great hall there was no-one left anymore.  
>He flew over to the Professor's quarters and rapped at the door. With the times he had learned that it was better to not disturb Minerva McGonagall unannounced. He still remembered very vividly the first (and last) time he'd entered her room uninvited.<p>

It took time until he heard something ruffling behind the door.  
>"Who is this?"<br>"Peeves, Professor. I came to bring back what you borrowed me."  
>"Well, fine, just leave it at the door, I'll get it later."<br>The ghost didn't need to wonder what might happen behind that door.  
>He grinned inwardly as he remembered when he first saw the tabby strolling towards the tower.<br>"Finally they got around!" he muttered, carefully Peeves balanced the stick against the wall so it wouldn't fall.  
>Silently snickering the ghost took his leave.<p>

About a week later all the trouble had died down. The castle was almost empty. Every once in a while an owl would fly by and leave a letter from the order, but Minerva strongly suspected that Dumbledore had told them not to disturb her recuperation.

Sybill did meet Professor Snape a few times when she went to see Minerva and soon they decided that there was no need to part in the evening. They both knew there wouldn't be a possibility to find a quiet room in this castle. Not with Severus around. For some reason this man put Sybill at unease and even though Minerva knew that he was trustworthy she understood her partner's nervousness.

*****

"There is this place I used to go to when I was younger." Minerva said one evening. Leafing through a student's work while reclining on her bed.

"Huh?" Sybill looked up from the floor where she was reading her seer's magazine – which had earned her a frown when she first brought it into Minerva's room.

"A cabin. It's been my family's for centuries. I've never seen much use in going away for the holidays lately – but now..."

"You mean – a place just for the two of us?" Sybill turned around and crawled towards her lover.  
>"without anyone sneaking around. No-one who'd look at me when I wander downstairs to visit you? Just the two of us?"<p>

Sybill had reached the bed. Minerva peered down.

"Well – there might be some spiders," she paused, "and mice."

"I can't see a problem with that, Minerva. I'll just bring my cat." With that Sybill jumped onto the bed.


End file.
